Lachrymosa: A Series of CainxMerry Vignettes
by ChildlikeEmpress
Summary: A set of four vignettes featuring Cain and Merry romantically. You have been warned. No Lemons. The Godchild and the Count Cain manga belong to Kaori Yuki.
1. Bitter Sweet

-BitterSweet-

Cain stared as if hypnotized into the cup of hot chocolate. It was the rage now; high society people drank it all the time. Cain's lip twitched in what might have been derision, remembering a story he'd read about a bishop who had died drinking a cup of hot chocolate.

"Arsenic most likely. It was the only kind that was readily available to refined ladies' maids who used it to kill rats."

Cain hadn't realized he'd spoken the words out loud until he saw Merry stare at him from across the room. She had been having a tea party with the assortment of stuffed rabbits and bears that Cain had steadily acquired; one for every time he committed some sort of unpardonable faux pas. (Usually involving women.)

Now she looked at him, her green eyes shimmering with an unnamed emotion. She got up slowly, silently walking up to him like she had done many times before.

Climbing into his lap and resting her head against his chest she tried to offer some sort of comfort from the demons that possessed the young Count. Merry bit back tears, frustrated that there wasn't anything more she could do for her big brother than smile and try to be there for him.

Cain stiffened slightly but relaxed as Merry settled in her position. Cain set the cup down, chocolate and poison forgotten as he was lulled by the sound of Merry's heartbeat and the way her soft breathing tickled his throat.

The two stayed there for some time. Merry hadn't realized how long until she heard the clock on the mantle chime the hour. She sat up slowly, trying not to wake her brother if she could help it. Cain opened his eyes despite her efforts and languorously stretched, attempting to un-kink his neck and wake up his arm that had fallen asleep.

As Merry climbed down, she noticed the forgotten cup of chocolate, now cold and congealed around the top of the porcelain. It didn't look like her brother had taken but a sip of it Merry thought ruefully. 'Because of me he didn't get to drink the rest of it.' Her thoughts finished. She regarded the cup with a curious air; big brother never let her try any. He said she wouldn't like it. Merry's eyes immediately turned mischievous. Before Cain could do more than blink Merry had raised the cup to her lips, about to take a sip…

"No!" And suddenly the cup had been knocked out of her hands only to shatter on the marble floors…and big brother…big brother was holding onto her so tight Merry almost couldn't breathe…

For one split second Cain had forgotten that he had previously taken a sip of the chocolate with no ill effects, that it indeed was a harmless beverage made by Riff himself. All Cain could think about was that bishop who had been poisoned…how he had taken but one sip of the seductive liquid only to fall silent forever. Cain didn't understand why such a simple story could affect him so. All he knew was that Merry would never drink chocolate, not as long as he could make sure of it. If anything happened to Merry…

Cain dimly realized that Merry was crying after the fact. Gradually loosening his desperate hold on the girl he brought her face up in order to have her look at him. Her little white face stared back, fear and love shining in her eyes. She knew that big brother wouldn't do anything without reason, and in this she had faith. Merry tried to smile reassuringly but it was rather strained as she frantically tried to calm down from the shock Cain's actions had caused.

Meanwhile the Count was taking some calming breaths himself. It was almost too much to have known that he'd scared her so. Cursing himself and his inner nightmares silently,

he gently cradled Merry's face in his hands. It made his heart clench when he saw her try to smile at him and reassure him that everything was fine. It was then he noticed.

On the corner of Merry's lip was a single drop of chocolate. It seemed that when he had knocked the cup out of her grasp that a drop had spilled out, staining her otherwise perfect mouth. Cain's eyes darkened at the thought of anything dark and bitter touching his angel. Slowly he brought himself closer to her…and then, he leaned over her mouth and gently licked away the drop of chocolate from her lip. Along with the bitter sensation of the chocolate was the sugar sweet taste of Merry mixed in. Gently pulling away after placing a kiss on her moist lips, Cain gazed at Merry; his cockiness and arrogance back in place as he smirked at her dumbfounded expression.

"Some things my dear, are better than chocolate."


	2. Truthful Dissolutions

-Truthful Dissolutions-

Cain raced after Merry while trying to straighten his jacket at the same time. How could he have been so careless?

He had stopped bringing home women of ill repute several months ago. When trying to pinpoint the exact reason why, Cain's thoughts immediately fell to Merry's innocent observations. Her governess had been horrified the next day when Merry had hiked up her skirts and ripped holes in her stockings before attempting to come down for breakfast. After that, Cain had made the change to start going out when looking for satiation.

And so far he had succeeded. Until tonight.

Cain mused it was probably the effect of the wine from before the tramp had latched onto him. For some reason or another he'd forgotten the promise he'd made to himself and brought the girl home. It was here Merry had found them while the girl was in the middle of trying to get his jacket off.

All he remembered was the look of pure devotion and happiness on her face dissolving into horrified disgust…and the way her eyes got wet with tears threatening to fall. Her gasping sob before quickly covering her mouth was etched into his ears forever.

"Merry!"

She had run to her room soon afterwards. Cain not to be bothered with the whore he had unwittingly invited in; took off after Merry with orders for Riff to remove the other girl from the house.

Cain stamped down the urge to shout out the reasons why. Why he did this, why he hurt the girl he loved most. But even the walls have ears in the Hargreaves mansion.

It wouldn't do for someone to find out the reasons why he diverted himself with mistresses, and with girls from the brothels of Cheapside.

It was because he couldn't have _her._

Cain softly padded into the Merry's room. With a start he realized he couldn't see her, and he would have panicked if he hadn't noticed something move in the corner.

Merry sat on the floor, a giant stuffed rabbit all but blocking the girl from view. The only things showing were her hands, which were embracing the rabbit from behind.

Cain regarded the picture silently. He frowned at the rabbit. It reminded him of the March Hare murders that had happened last year. He would have gotten rid of the rabbit if Merry hadn't loved it so much. He recalled her joy at receiving it and the humorousness of her naming it "Mr. Carrot."

Cain crouched down slowly and gently touched the hands that clasped the rabbit.

"Merry…Merry look at me" Cain crooned softly. The girl lifted her head, trying to appear scornful and angry but ending up looking more mournful and disillusioned than anything. Her eyes were screwed shut but then suddenly opened wide, flinging wayward tears down her cheeks from her lashes' sudden movement. As she gazed up at him, Cain angrily damned the circumstances surrounding them. It wasn't safe to love her like this. Not in the world he lived in. Not with his father and Delilah's machinations a constant hum in the background. But, alone like this…he could afford to be truthful.

"You're the only one for me."


	3. Not Anymore

I'm sorry for the delay, would you believe that this is the fourth time I've wrote this? And finally! My muse returned after what seemed like forever to help me write this little darling. So hopefully you shall enjoy.

-ChildlikeEmpress

-Not Anymore-

'Mirrors are cruel'...the woman thought as she gazed into the dusty frame.

How many years had it been?

She looked at her reflection with distaste. Her wrinkled skin and sparse white hair projected back at her in all their horrid truthfulness. She sat on the cushion in front of the mirror, her taffeta dress rustling slightly as she lifted a hand to stroke the mirrors surface.

He had been dead for over...sixty years now she decided. And even though throughout her long lifetime she had been surrounded by people-

She had really felt so alone.

She held a trembling hand to her face willing the moisture gathering in her eyes to cease. She glared back at the mirror with new resolve.

"Not anymore."

She rose stiffly grasping a nearby table to keep from falling. She slowly hobbled over to the mantle seeking a box that rested there.

Taking the box down, she carried it with some difficulty back over to the mirror. Setting it down on the table, she deftly pulled a long silver chain from beneath her dress, from which dangled a small silver key. Using it to unlock the box, she opened it gently.

Inside were several things...a stuffed rabbit...a butterfly comb...a pink lace ribbon...but not what she was seeking.

Moving aside the contents of the box revealed a well-worn photograph, its corners rounded from being handled too much. The woman drew in a deep breath as she gazed at the faces in the photo.

A young girl, no more than fifteen, sat in a purple chair. The smile on her face was infectious as she leaned sideways grinning into the camera. Above her, standing behind was a young man. His dark hair contrasted greatly with the blonde of the girl's, and his eyes...there was something odd about them...while paired with a slight smirk seemed to mock the viewer.

But you would have been a fool to miss that both of the young people in the photo were happy.

The old woman gently replaced the box's contents. Clutching them in her arms she walked down a short hallway and through a door into her bedroom ignoring the smell of spilt wine she tread softly over to her bed.

Lying down, with the box beside her, she ever so slowly picked up the candlestick from her nightstand.

And then dropped it on the floor.

The fire spread quickly, the wine soaked carpet was ablaze...the drapes next.

She could hear the servants pounding in vain on the locked door. It was too late now.

And even as the flames licked the edges of her coverlet...Merry smiled.

Because she knew her brother would come for her.

"Big brother...?"

"Come Merry, Riff has tea waiting, and I need my angel here with me."


	4. Merci Pour Le Venin

- Merci Pour Le Venin-

It was the night of Merry's coming out party, her entrance into London society. The girl sat in front of her mirror, tiredly removing the evidence of the night's festivities.

A lace trimmed glove, an ivory fan.

She frowned slightly as she realized how many hairpins there were…and of course big brother had been a recluse all evening long, refusing to dance with her or even to speak. He had sat alone in the corner with all the stuffy old men he used to complain about having to converse with, leaving her forced to dance with Oscar and several other dandies and gallants all trying to flirt with her at once. The audacity of it all.

Merry couldn't understand why her brother had seemed so wary of the event, even bitter.

To her it seemed like the most wonderful thing ever. She had spent hours listening to her friends' older sisters tell the tales of their "coming out" and then watched her friends do the same one by one. From what Merry had thought, it was a magical night that consisted of staying up past midnight, drinking champagne, and then dancing as much as you want while wearing a beautiful gown.

Well...the champagne was definitely overrated. Merry had forcefully hid a grimace of disgust after her first sip. And the gown was gorgeous to be sure, but Merry found she didn't like the attention it brought her. The sapphire blue taffeta clung to her figure in the most flattering ways, the dressmaker assured her. But as her brother had silently predicted it had also drawn the young men to her like moths to a flame. Something Merry discovered she didn't appreciate.

She glanced into the mirror and saw someone behind her. Startled, she knocked over a perfume bottle causing it to shatter into tiny pieces.

"Brother! That was my favorite perfume! Oscar gave it to me for my birthday." Merry dabbed with her handkerchief at the small puddle while she looked at him scornfully, her blue eyes drawn together in consternation.

"I beg your pardon then Miss Hargreaves." The Count drew out the title as if it was an insult, his arrogant reply belying anything but that of someone seeking forgiveness. "Shall I buy you another stuffed rabbit then? Will that be my atonement?"

Merry glared at him before huffing. "I don't understand why you're so upset brother, you've been angry for weeks! Ever since my skirts were let down and my hair was put up."

Cain simply stared past her, his face betraying none of the emotions he was feeling. His hand idly tugging on the golden locks still held captive by hairpins. By now Merry's anger had dissipated.

She stood up and walked over to Cain, her skirts rustling as they brushed against his trousers. Wrapping her arms around him, Merry tried to pour all the reassurance she could into the embrace. After a moment, the Count returned the gesture. They stood there for a while, both thinking over what this all meant until Merry spoke suddenly.

"Brother…I'm not going to go marry Oscar or anyone else and leave you here all alone." She held onto him even tighter if that were possible. "So you don't have to worry" The fifteen year old murmured. "Even though I'm not a little girl anymore we'll still be together."

Cain's eyes suddenly darkened and he pushed the bewildered girl away from him. And as he was shutting the door, leaving the sobbing girl alone in the dark he paused...

Then, with a look of resentment he answered-

"Perhaps, but at least when you were a little girl it was all right for me to love you."

FIN

A.N. If anyone is confused...Cain is at odds with Merry's growing up. While his love for her is just the same, it's harder to rein in now, in comparison as to when he could always fall back on the fact that she was too young, robbing the cradle, etc. He's also jealous of all the suitors she is sure to have...this is shown by his derision towards Oscar's gift of perfume. (The "Venin" in the title.) Seeing his little sister in ladies' gowns with her hair done up and scores of suitors is just unsettling to the dear Count...who now more than ever realizes that it will never be possible for them. Anyways that's what I was thinking as I wrote this. I hope you all enjoyed "Lachrymosa." I love this pairing so much I'm sure to drop in again once in a while. Maybe write a second set of one-shots. But anyways, thanks again for all your reviews. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. (:


End file.
